As many of you saw on Facebook and Instagram, we made a big lumber run, which means lots of building is about to begin in the nursery. Before that starts, we need to paint the walls and ceiling, so we hope to finish that today and tomorrow and share an update on Monday. Goodbye, door-spray marks!
While we work on paint, here’s a simple, anyone-can-do-it project that involves living things. Most importantly: there’s a tiny deer living in a tiny glass house in our home.
Luckily the deer is plastic and can’t die, but the plants nearby definitely can.
This is an experiment to see whether low-maintenance plants truly exist, since my track record with plants is shaky. Remember when I asked for help keeping my cacti alive? The good news: after two months they’re still alive.
I’ve kept them alive by pretty much ignoring them. I watered them once in two months. People advised giving them a drop when the soil is really dry, so I followed that—and the cacti are thriving. Some of you even spotted them in last week’s chair post. Go, little cacti.
That success boosted my confidence a bit (not enough to call myself a botanist; the succulents on the shelf in the background are fake). Still, I was inspired to try another low-effort project: a terrarium.
I found a great glass container at a lighting shop a few weeks ago. It’s often sold as a light fixture, but this one wasn’t drilled for a light, so it was discounted. It begged to be filled with a few green plants and a tiny plastic deer. I figured, why not see if my black thumb can create a self-sustaining terrarium?
Here’s how I made it.
Step 1. Find a glass container you like. An apothecary jar or a large glass jar works well.
Step 2. I researched several terrarium tutorials and noticed many used charcoal. Charcoal helps keep the environment stable by filtering water and reducing odors, which can make a closed terrarium more self-sustaining.
Step 3. I gathered supplies: gravel, charcoal, potting soil, and small plants. I used gravel from our driveway, potting soil from the garage, two small succulent plants from Home Depot, and a small bag of horticultural charcoal from a local greenhouse.
Step 4. Add about an inch of gravel to the bottom of the container to provide drainage.
Step 5. Add about an inch of charcoal on top of the gravel to help filter moisture and prevent stagnation.
Step 6. Add 2–3 inches of potting soil above the charcoal layer to give the plants a medium to root in.
Step 7. Plant the small succulents in the potting soil, arranging them so they have a little space to grow.
Step 8. For fun, I added a tiny plastic deer as a decorative accent.
Step 9. I gently misted the plants—really just splashed a little water inside—then sealed the terrarium and set it in indirect light.
It’s been over a week and the plants are holding steady. They’re not drooping and actually look a bit happier than before, though the terrarium hasn’t developed heavy condensation or dramatic changes yet. Time will tell whether this becomes a thriving miniature ecosystem or a sad little tomb. I’ll share updates as it progresses, and I welcome any terrarium tips from those who have experience.
Update: Through Instagram I discovered someone else recently made a similar terrarium from a kit. Their version is a ready-to-assemble option and looks lovely—mine was a budget-friendly, DIY approach. Either way, terrariums are a fun way to bring a little greenery indoors.